为什么

wèi shén me

HSK 2.0 Level 3 HSK 3.0 Level 2 Pronoun Very common

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Definitions

1. why?
2. for what reason?

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Usage notes

Common mistakes

为什么 can be followed directly by a verb phrase (e.g., 为什么去?), while 怎么 is used for "how" or sometimes "why" in surprised reactions, often followed by a whole clause (e.g., 你怎么没去?).

Grammar

Guides that feature 为什么

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1 guide

HSK 2.0 Level 2+ HSK 3.0 Level 2+ 5 min

为什么 for “Why”

为什么 asks for a reason; it sits after the subject, before the verb, and the answer usually starts with 因为.

Reading: wèi shén me Open guide

Example Sentences

5 shown

你 为什么 不去？

Why aren't you going?

你 为什么 生气？

Why are you angry?

你究竟 为什么 不来？

Why on earth didn't you come?

你当初 为什么 学习中文？

Why did you start learning Chinese in the first place?

我纳闷儿他 为什么 没来。

I wonder why he didn't come.

AI-generated examples are marked with this icon.

Child Words of 为什么

• 什么 什么 shén me: what?
• 为 为 wéi: as (in the capacity of)
• 为 为 wèi: because of
• 什 什 shén: what
• 什 什 shí: assorted
• 么 么 má: exclamatory final particle
• 么 么 ma: interrogative final particle